Toy player piano



Apr. 17, 1923. 1,452,112

F. R. GOOLMAN TOY PLAYER PIANO Filed Oct. '7 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet l j W D 640 J 4 J 56 a wuudoz 47 Fem E.GO0LA1/9/V f Quotas,

Apr. 17, 1923.

1,452,112 F. R. GOOLMAN TOY PLAYER PIANO Filed Oct '7 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Y FEED /8. Gamma/v Patented Apr. 17, 1923. 4

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I FRED R. GOOLMAN, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO MIMMO TOY COMPANY, INC.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TOY PLAYER PIANO.

Application filed October 7, 1919.

To all to hom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED R. GOOLMAN, citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Player Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toy musical instruments, and has particular reference to a novel improvement in miniature automatic player pianos.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a toy of the character set forth which will simulate in its general features the well known automatic player piano, to thereby provide a toy which is far more attractive and of superior interest to toys which though producing the same result, are not as fascinating because of the fact that they are poor imitations of the genuine article.

Other and more specific objects are incidental to the foregoing general object and chief among these is the provision of a novel player unit which is simple both from a manufacturing and manipulating standpoint thereby not only enhancing the 001m mercial aspect of the invention but at the same time insuring ease of operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means in the player unit for feeding the note sheet roll to the tracker device and subsequently rewinding the same after the composition has been played. In this connection it is to be noted that-the present toy contemplates a departure from toys of this type heretofore made since the novel means referred to provide for the use of miniature note sheet rolls instead of endless webs or straight note sheet strips. This feature of the invention therefore is of considerable importance since it provides an unlimited source of musical entertainment by the use of individual rolls each having its own selection cut therein in substantially the same manner as the note sheet rolls for the larger player pianos.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described. illustrated and 55 claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of Serial No. 329,059.

the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved toy.

Figure 2 is a detail elevation of the upright player unit without a note sheet roll and also showing the relative position of the sounding unit, the entire mechanism being set to perform the rewinding operation.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a note sheet roll supported in playing position within the player unit and the parts set to drive the tractor roll and thereby draw the note sheet through the tracker device.

Figure 4. isa horizontal sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2, with a portion of the piano casing shown in section.

Figure 6 is a Vertical sectional view similar to Fi ure 5 taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view through the tracker device.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying the present invention into effect it is proposed to provide a piano casing C which includes the opposite side walls 1-1, back 2, hinged top 8, and a mute keyboard 4, while the front wall thereof, above the keyboard, is formed by a panel 5 which is slidably mounted in the grooves or guides 6 of the side walls 1 as shown in Figures 1 and 4. This panel 5 is made removable for the purpose of assembling the playing instrumentalities within the casing, and for the purpose of rendering the player unit thereof accessible for the playing and removal of note sheet rolls, the said panel is provided with an access opening 7.

A distinctive and characteristic feature of the present invention is the provision of a novel player unit designated generally as A which may be supported in an upright position behind'the access opening 7, and providedwith novel means for handling individual note sheet rolls R in the general manner of the larger note sheet rolls,..but in a way which is particularly novel and typical of the present invention. This practical and important part of the present invention may be conveniently utilized for supporting a sounding unit designated generally as B whereby the entire operative mechanism of the piano may be assembled outside of the casing and fitted therein in any suitable and convenient manner.

Referring more in detail to the player unit A it may be observed that the same embodies in its general organization suitable note sheet roll supporting means and a tracker device D, through which the note sheet may be drawn by a tractor or winding roll T to produce the desired operation of the sounding device. As shown in Figures 2 and 3 ofthe drawings, the instrumentalities referred to may be supported in a frame F consistingofthe side members 88, and the bottom and top members 9 and 10 respectively, the latter being also preferably provided with the depending journal members 11 and 12 respectively at opposite ends thereof. The tractor roll '1 previously referred to is rotatably mounted in the lower part of the frame between=the side members 8 8 and is of substanti'ally'spool formation for the purpose of receiving the note sheet in the well known manner. The intermediate portion of the roll is provided with a note sheet engaging hook 'or fastening l3 and one end thereof may be fitted with'the wheel or gear 14- adapted to be engaged and disengaged by a portion of-the driving mechanism as will presently appear.

The upper part of the frame F is fitted at one side with a yieldingly mounted supporting spindle 15 which has a sliding engage-- ment through one of the side members 8 and the journal member 12, while its intermediate portion may be engaged by a spring 16- which may be conveniently of the type shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. The opposite upright side members 8 of the frame has journ'aled thereina rewindspindle 17 provided with the key end '18 for engaging in a key slot in one end of the note sheet roll 3-, and as will also be observed from Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings this rewind spindle has its end opposite the key end bearing in the journal member. 12 as indicated at 19. The intermediate portion Of the spindle, namely that part'betweenthe members 8 and 12 is fitted with a wheel or pulley 20 which is also adapted to be operatively engaged by the power element of the apparatus as will hereinafter be shown.

'VVith the arrangement above described it willbe apparent'that'the player unit includes a tractor roll T an d a rewind spindle 17 mounted to rotate in relatively fixed positions in the frame, and for the purpose of imparting the desired rotary movement thereto at the proper time a novel actuating device is provided in the form of a power shaft designatedgenerally as'S. This actuating device constitutes one of the novel and distinctive features of the invention, and by reason of the particular disposition and mounting of the said shaft S the player unit maybe operated with facility to produce the musical composition and then rewind the.

note sheet roll.

As will be again observed from Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings the said power shaft S is loosely journaled as at 21 in one of the side walls 1 of the piano casing and may be provided in any suitable manner with a crank or operating handle 22 located in an exposed position outside of the casing while near the opposite end thereof the supporting journal collar 23 has a guiding engagement with the walls of a slot 24 formed in one of the side members 8 of the player unit frame. By reason of this guidingengagement with the vertically disposed slot 24 and the relatively loose mounting of the other end thereof, it will be apparent that the entire power shaft may be shifted in a substantially vertical plane. The said power shaft S is there-- fore shiftable at right angles to itsaxis although its general disposition is substantially parallel to the axis of the tractor roll T and also to the axis of the rewind spindle 17. The purpose of thus shiftably mounting the power shaft S is to permit it to have a relative movement with respect to the tractor roll and the rewind spindle whereby it may alternately be placed in operative relation to either of these elements to either draw the note sheet through the tracker device for the playing operation or effectthe rewind.

To provide for the operative engagement of the power shaft S with the tractor roll the extreme inner end of the said shaft may carry a drive wheel in the form of a pinion 25 for engaging with the gear 14 on the tractor roll, while the intermediate portion of the power shaft may be provided with a pulley 26 for receiving a flexibleconnection 27 that engages with the pulleyor wheel'20 on the rewind spindle 17. Byreason-of the relatively fixed position of the pulley 20 on the rewind spindle and the gear 1% on the tractor roll, it will be observed that the shifting of the power shaft S at rightangles to its aXis will, on the movement 'ofthe shaft S toward the tractor roll cause the pinion 25 to operatively'engage with the gear 14- thereof and at the same'time release'or loosen the flexible driving connection 27 between the pulleys 20 and 26,or in other words permit it to become slack. Obviously, the shifting of the power'shaft in the opposite direction, that is away from the tractor roll T will cause the reversal'of the action above described which involves the disengagement of the gear 1 1 and pinion 25 and the tightening of the flexible connection 27 to connect the power shaft with the rewind spindle. This arrangement makes it possible to 'rotate the power shaft to cause the note sheet to wind about the winding roll T. and on the other hand when the pulley on the replay a note sheet, automatically connects the tractor roll with the power shaft, while on the other hand when the selection has been played the release of the note sheet from the tracker device will automatically connect the rewind spindle with the power shaft.

Although various instrumentalities may be utilized to carrythe above into effect, it is proposed in the present embodiment to provide a shifter link 28 whose lower end 29 is engaged by a tension spring 30 while its intermediate portion is formed to engage and support. the power shaft S at a point adjacent the journal collar 23 as indicated at 31. The upper end of the said link 28 is connected as at 32 with one arm 33 of a shifter lever 34 pivotally supported as at 35 to the inner face of one of the side frame members 8. The arm 36 of the shifter lever is adapted to have an operating engagement with the tracker bar 37 of the tracker device D, whereby the saidtracker bar becomes in effect a key for controlling the position of the shiftable power shaft.

As will be observed from Figures 2 to 6 inclusive the said tracker bar 37 is pivotally supported as at 38 whereby it may swing in a horizontal plane so that its free end 39 may come into engagement with the operating arm 36 of the shifter lever which is subject to the tension of the spring 30 through the medium of the link 28. For the purpose of holding the tracker bar in note sheet engaging'position and causing the connections with the power shaft to hold the same elevated and thereby cause the engagement of the gear 14 and pinion 25 a suitable detent or looking lever 40 may be employed. This lever may be pivoted to the frameas at 41 and when shifted to the position shown in Figure 2 releases the tracker bar 37 so that it may swing outwardly which has the effect also of releasing the operating arm 36 of the shifter lever to permit the spring 30 to exert its force and draw the link 28 downwardly and thus cause the disengagement of the gear 14 and pinion 25, and simultaneously make the flexible engagement 27 between the pulleys 20 and 26 taut.

The tracker device D which includes the tracker bar 37 also comprises a fulcrum shaft 42 that constitutes a common support for a plurality of striking levers 43 carrying the hammers 44 at one end for engaging with the Xylophone bars 45 of a sounding unit B, while the opposite ends 46 of the said levers are adapted to be engaged by a note sheet N which is pressed against the same through the medium of the spaced parallel note sheet engaging bars 47 and 48 carried by the tracker bar 37. lVhen the note sheet N is placed in the tracker device and the bar 37 is moved to its closed position and locked by the lever 40 all of the levers 43 will be elevated as shown in full lines in Figure 7, and when theperforations in the note sheet register with the end 46 of the lever it will be permitted to fall as shown in dotted lines and strike the Xylophone bars. As the note sheet continues to move and the opening passes out of registry with the end 46 of the lever it will again be elevated to its original position. It will therefore be apparent that the tracker bar 37 having the spaced apart parallel note sheet engaging members 47 and 48 serves the purpose of pressing the note sheet against the note sheet engaging ends of the striking levers for the purpose of rendering the same operative as the note sheet is pulled through the tracker device by the tractor roll T.

As previously indicated the normal condition of the player unit is that shown in Figure 2. wherein the tractor roll is disengaged from the power shaft and the rewind spindle is operatively connected therewith, while at the same time the tracker device is out of operative relation to the ends of the striking bars. The player unit is therefore ready to receive anote sheet roll R which is placed in position by causing one end thereof to engage with the resiliently mounted supporting spindle 15 prior to causing the opposite end of the roll to engage with the key end 18 of the rewind spindle '17. When the note sheet roll is thus mounted between the members 15 and 17 the eyelet E at the end oft-he note sheet N may be placed over the hook 13011 the tractor roll T so that the imperforate initial area of the note sheet in passing through the tracker device D will cover the note sheet engaging ends 46 of the striking levers 43. The tracker bar 37 is then swung on its pivot 38 to a position whereby the spaced apart note sheet engaging members 47 and 48 thereof press the note sheet against the ends 46 of the levers 43 to elevate the same to striking position, while the end 39 of the tracker bar rocks the operating arm 36 of the shifter lever 34 which has the effect of lifting the link 28 against the tension of the spring 30 to elevate the power shaftS whereby the pinion will engage with't-he gear 14 of the tractor roll.

The lifting of the shaft S permits the flexible connection 27 between the rewind spindle and theshaft to become loose so that the rewind shaft 17 is free to permit the roll R to unwind the note sheet the latter is pulled through the tracker device by the tractor roll T. The turning of the power shaft S by the handle 22 or its equivalent in ill .its

the direction of the arrow in Figure 8 will cause the note sheet to play the selection cut therein and when it is desired'to rewind the note sheet for the purpose of re moving it from the toy, .it is necessary to re lease the tracker bar 37to disengage the power shaft with the tractor roll and {place said shaft, in operative engagement with the flexible connection 27 which passes over 1 the pull y on the rewind spindle. It will be obvious that'with the present invention note sheet rolls of considerable length may be played while the ready removal and replacingv of one roll for. another permits of the nseof an unlimited number of selections.

Without further description it is thought that the many features and advantages of the invention will be apparent, and it will of course beunderstood that changes in the form, proportion and details of construction ma be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope ofthe a pended claims;

lclaim:

'1. A toy-player piano including a player unit, comprising a winding roll and a re- ;wind spindle mounted to rotate in iixed locations, a power shaft havingmeans'for operatively connecting with either the winding roll-or rewind spindle, a tracker device, and means controlled by said tracker device for shifting said power shaft at right angles to its axis for automatically causing the connection between the rewind spindle and power'shaft and between the latter and the winding r'oll'to be operative or inoperative.

2-. A toy player piano includinga player unit comprisinga winding roll and a rewind spindle mounted to rotate in relatively fixed locations, a'po wer shaft having means for 'opera-tively' connecting the same with either the winding roll or rewind spindle, a tracker device, and av tensioned connection between the tracker device and the power siaft [controlled by said tracker device for shifting the power shaft at right angles to 3. A toy player piano including a player unit comprising a winding roll and rewind spindle mounted to rotate in relatively fixed locations, at shift-able power shaft having means for operatively connecting with either the rewind spindle or winding roll, atracker device, and means whereby the power shaft is shifted at right angles to its axis to cause the connection between the same and the winding roll to become operative when the tracker device receives a note sheet.

41A. toy player piano including a winding roll and-rewind spindle mounted to rotate in relativ ly fixed locations, a power shaft having means for operatively connecting with either the rewind spindle or the winding roll, a tracker device, and means whereby the powershaft is shifted at right'angles to its axis to causethe means for connecting the power shaft and rewind spindle-"to be operatirev when the note sheet is disengaged by thetracker device. a Y

A toy player pianoincluding a player .unit comprising a winding roll and rewind spindle a powershaft having means for operatively connecting with either the roll or spindle, a tra'ckerdevice' including a note sheet engaging bar, and means adapted to be engaged by said bar for shifting said power shaft at right angles to its for connecting either the roll or spindle therewith.

6. A toy player piano including a player unit comprising a-winding .roll, a rewind spindle, a power shaf having means for operatively connecting with either the roll or spindle, a tracker device including a movable note sheet engaging bar and lever means connected with the power shaft and adapted i to be engaged by hebar of the tracker device whereby the said power shaft may be shifted at right angles to its axis to 0p eratively engage with either the winding roll or rewind spindle.

7. A toy player piano including a player unit, a winding roll, a rewind spindle; a power shaft having means for operatively connecting'with either the roll or spindle, a tracker de *ice including sheet engaging bar, a link connected with said power shaft, a shifter lever connected with said link and adapted to beengaged by the shifter lever to throw the power shaft into operative relation with either the winding roll or the rewind spindle.

8. "L toy player piano including a player unit comprising a winding roll, a rewind spindle, a power shaft having means for o eratively connecting with either the roll 01 spindle, a tracker deviceincluding a note sheet engaging bar pivotally supported at one ench a spring .tensioned link engaging the power shaft at "ght angles to its axis and a shifter lever-connected with said link and adapted to be engaged and released by the free end of the pivoted note sheet en gaging bar.

9. A toy player piano including aplayer unit, comprising a frame a winding roll and a rewind spindle mounted to rotate therein a power shaft having means for operatively connecting with either the roll or rewind spindle, a tracker device located between the rewind spindle and winding roll and including a pivoted note sheet engaging bar, a link disposed at right angles to "and engaging with the'power shaft, a shifter lever connected with said link and adapted to'be engagedby the free-end of the pivoted note sheet engaging bar, and means carried by the frame for locking the pivoted end of said bar in note sheet engaging position to maintain the power shaft inoperative engagement with the winding roll.

10. A toy player piano including a player unit, comprising a frame, a winding roll and a rewind spindle mounted to rotate therein, a power shaft having means for operatively connecting with either the roll or rewind spindle, a tracker device located between the rewind spindle and winding roll and including a pivoted note sheet engaging bar, a link disposed at right angles to and engaging with the power shaft, a shifter lever connected' with said link and adapted to be engaged by the free end of the pivoted note sheet engaging bar, and means carried by the frame for engaging and releasing the pivoted end of the note sheet engaging bar whereby the latter may control the rocking of the shifter lever to alternately cause the power shaft to .be connected with the winding roll and rewind spindle.

11. In a toy player piano, a player, unit including a tracker device and a frame having a slot, a winding roll and a rewind spindle mounted to rotate therein, a power shaft disposed substantially parallel to the winding roll and having a relatively loose support outside of the frame while its end opposite said support lies within said slot of the frame, and means associated with the tracker device for automatically shifting the power shaft in the slot of the frame to be operatively connected with either the winding roll or rewind spindle.

12. A toy player piano including a player unit comprising a frame, a winding roll and a rewind spindle mounted to rotate in the frame, a' power shaft supported independently of the frame and having means for operatively connecting with either the roll or spindle, a spring tensioned link engaging said power shaft at right angles to its axis, and a movable tracker bar for shifting said link to cause the power shaft to be operatively engaged with either the roll or spindle.

13. In a toy player piano a player unit including a tracker device and a frame having a rewind spindle journaled therein, a power shaft mounted independently of the frame and adapted to have a movement at substantially right angles to its axis, said power shaft also having means for operatively connecting with either the roll or spindle, a winding roll mounted in the frame between the position of the power shaft and the rewind spindle, and means associated with the tracker device for shifting said power shaft at right angles to its axis to cause the same to operatively engage with the winding roll when it moves toward the said roll and rewind spindle and simultaneously be inoperative with regard to the latter, or vice versa.

14. A toy player piano comprising a casing including a panel having an access opening, a player unit mounted behind the access opening and including means for supporting a note sheet roll, a tracker device movably mounted to swing outwardly through the access opening and means for drawing said note sheet back and forth through the tracker device, sounding means adapted to be operated upon by the player unit, and means for operating the latter.

15. A toy player piano including a sound ing unit, a player unit including note sheet supporting and traction means and a tracker device, said tracker device consisting of a tracker bar pivotally mounted at one end to swing outwardly having spaced apart parallel note sheet engaging members on one side thereof, a supporting shaft, and a plurality of striking hammers having their ends opposite their hammer ends adapted to be disposed between the spaced apart parallel members of the tracker device and having their intermediate portions fulcrumed on said supporting shaft.

16. A toy player piano including a sound ing unit, a player unit including a tracker device consisting of a tracker bar having spaced apart parallel note sheet engaging members on one side thereof and pivotally mounted at one end to swing outwardly, a supporting shaft, and a plurality of striking levers for said sounding unit mounted on said supporting shaft and having their end portions adapted to be disposed between the spaced apart parallel members of the tracker bar.

17. A toy player piano including a sounding unit, an upright player unit including a tracker device consisting of a tracker bar, spaced apart parallel note sheet engaging members carried by one side of the tracker bar, a pivot for the tracker bar arranged at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof, a plurality of striking levers mounted on a common fulcrum shaft arranged parallel to the tracker bar and having their ends opposite their hammers adapted to be disposed between the spaced apart parallel members of the tracker bar.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED R. GOOLMAN.

Witnesses FRANK B. HUDSON, WILLIAM D. CHENEY. 

